Flanging tool for forming radial flanges



July 2 1957 E. GRANVILLE 7,7 6

FLANGING TOOL FOR FORMING RADIAL FLANGES Filed Dec. 14, 1955 United States Patent FLANGIN 'G TOOL FOR FORMING RADIAL FLANGES This invention relates to a tool for forming a flange on an end of a length of cylindrical metallic tubing such as is employed in forming a connection between a lavatory bowl or the like and a drain pipe. Such tubular connections are now generally supplied the plumbing trade in standard lengths formed with a flanged end and accordingly it frequently happens that a workman called upon to install or repair a lavatory bowl or its drain pipe conneotions finds himself without a tubular coupling of requisite length and is therefore put to the necessity of either going after the desired item or await delivery thereof and in some cases to contrive in some fashion to work over a length of tubing to fabricate an end flange thereon. Either of these contingencies occasions a loss of time and where it is necessary to fabricate the flange such is accomplished with difficulty and usually with inaccuracy because of the lack of proper tools; such fabrication usually involving gripping the tube in a pipe vice which operation is very likely to render the tube unusable or on its being used to result in a faulty connection.

The primary object of the present invention is to pro vide a flanging tool whereby a workman of ordinary skill may readily produce an accurate flange on an end of a length of tubing and whereby the necessity of the plumber laying in a supply of various lengths of flanged tubing will be obviated and in lieu thereof may acquire long lengths of tubing which may be cut into sections of various lengths as needed and the severed sections worked by means of the tool to produce a proper end flange thereon.

Another object is to provide a tube flanging tool which is simple in construction, readily portable, easily manipulated and highly eificient in operation.

The invention resides in the provision of a punch block adapted to receive in clamping engagement the end portion of a length of tubing to be flanged with a terminal portion of the tubing projecting above the block and in providing a drawing die adapted to be initially engaged with the projecting terminus of the tube and operated by impact or pressure to flare the tube end and thereafter be inverted and re-engaged with the tube end operated to draw the flared portion of the tube end into an outwardly projecting flat marginal flange extending perpendicular to the walls of the tube.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the punch block element of the flanging tool,

Fig. 2 is :an isometric view of the drawing die employed in conjunction with the punch block shown in Fig. 1 in effecting a flanging operation,

Fig. 3 is a diagram in cross section illustrating the manner of mounting a tube end in a receiving aperture in the punch block preparatory to effecting the flanging 2. operation and indicating in dotted lines initial positioning of the drawing die on the tube end,

Fig. 4 is a diagram similar to Fig. 3 showing the drawing die as engaged with the tube end and as positioned after having elfectedan initial curling or flaring operation on the latter,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the drawing die as inverted and initially positioned on the flared tube end preparatory to completing the flanging operation,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the die as disposed on completion-of the flanging operation,

Fig. 7 is an isometric view with portions broken away depicting a tube as formed with a flanged end by employment of the punch and die elements embodying the invention, and

Fig. 8 is an isometric view illustrating the flanging tool as operated by me'ans of a screw press.

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates generally a metallic punch block which is here shown as rectangular in .outline with parallel top and bottom faces a and b, side faces 0 and d and end faces e and f. The punch block A is formed with a central cylindrical aperture B leading downwardly from the top face a and opening through the bottom face b; the aperture B being dimensioned so that the portion of the block A constituting the margin of the aperture B will snugly conform to 'a length of tubing C to be flanged positioned in the aperture B.

As a means for enabling clamping of the length of tube in the aperture B the punch block A is divided along its longitudinal center and axially of the aperture B into separable sections 9 and 10 which are separably and adjustably connected together by a pair of bolts 11--1l which are passed loosely through the sections 9 and 10 transversely thereof with heads 12 on the bolts abutting one of the side faces c-d; the bolts 1111 having threaded outer end portions 1313 projecting beyond the adjacent side face of the block on which are screwed Wing nuts 14 adapted to be brought into abutting engagement with the side face 0 or d of the block A and to be tightened on the bolts 11-11 so as to clamp the sections 9 and 10 into tight engagement with a length of tubing C positioned in the aperture B as indicated in Fig. 3.

The drawing die D comprises a flat ended metallic cylinder 15 having a diameter slidably conforming to the internal diameter of the tube C to be flanged. The cylinder 15 is formed intermediate its ends with a continuous circumferentially extending flange 16 one side g of which is beveled and has the form of a truncated cone. The other side h of the flange 16 is flat and extends perpendicular to the side surface of the cylinder 15.

The beveled face g of the flange 15 constitutes a conical spreader and is utilized as will later be described in splaying or flaring the end of the tube C, while the flat face 11 is utilized as a means for flattening the splayed end of the tube and to form the latter with a flat end flange E 'as illustrated in Fig. 7.

The cylinder 15 is formed with an axial cylindrical bore 17 or recess at the end thereof to receive a slidably conforming terminal 18 on an end of a driver bar F which latter is seated on the upper end of the die and is employed to transmit hammer blows applied thereto to the die where the die is operated by impact.

In the operation of the invention a length of tubing C to be flanged is positioned in the aperture B of the punch block A and securely clamped therein with a requisite portion of the end of the tube projecting above the upper face of the block A as shown in Fig. 3 and as before described; the block A being positioned on a suitable support G straddling the tube C as indicated in dotted lines in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

The die D is then disposed in engagement with the open end of the tube C as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, that is with the beveled face g of the die imposed on: the margin'of the .tulbevC. ,The driver 'bar isthen engaged with the upwardly project'inig portion ofthe die D and is struck, at its outer endiwi-th a hammer :or mallet so as to cause the beveled face g to effectasplayi-ng lor flaring action on the end portion of the tube protruding from the punch block A as :shown in Fig. 4. The die D is then inverted and reinserted in the tube C with the flat face h of the flange 16 seating on the flared end of the tube C; the bar F, previously removed from the die, being engaged with the now upwardly extending end. portion of the die and again subjected to the bloWs of the hammer of mallet such as to cause the flat face h of *theflange 16 to. flatten the flared end of the tube and convert it into the flat flange E. The Hanging operation is thus completed whereupon the die is removed and the sections 9 and 10 on the punch block separated and the flanged tube removed therefrom.

In some instances it may be desirable to effect the fianging action by subjecting the die to pressure rather than to impact in which event a screw press may be employed as shown in Fig. 8. In this instance a press H is employed which embodies a yoke 19 having inturned flanges 20 on the ends of its side members which, on positioning the yoke astnide the punch block, are engaged with the underside of the punch block at opposite sides thereof. A screw 21 mounted in the connecting portion of the yoke and extending axially therethrough is fitted with a swivel 22 for abut-ting engagement with an end of the die D. The screw 21 is formed with a square head 23 for engagement with a wrench by means of which the screw may be rotated and thereby be advanced or retracted in and out of engagement with the die and be advanced on engagement with the die to move the latter so as 1110 effect a flanging action on the tube end as before described.

I claim:

A tube flanging tool comprising a punch 'block having opposed flat faces and formed with a cylindrical tube receiving aperture opening through said faces, sa id :block being divided axially of said aperture into complementary half sections, screw means for clamping said sections against opposite sides of a tube arranged in said aperture, and a die element having corresponding free ended cylindrical end portions and having .a circumferential flange intermediate its ends formed with a beveled face on one side thereof and having a flat face on its other side from which faces said end portions lead; the end cylindrical portions of said die element being selectively slidably insertable in and conformable throughout the lengths thereof to the inner periphery of the tube engaged in said punch block.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED-STATES PATENTS 

